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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Analysis of Fatty Acid Content and Composition in Microalgae
Published on: October 1, 2013
Palmitoleic acid content and composition-based nutritional quality of commercial omega-7 oils and supplements
Mona Correa1, Xiaoying Zhou1, Dino Athanasiadis1
1Checkerspot, Inc., Alameda, CA, United States.
Introduction:
Commercial omega-7 products vary widely in fatty acid composition and chemical form, complicating direct comparison among products. This study compared commercially available omega-7 sources using palmitoleic acid (POA; 16:1 n-7) and total omega-7, calculated as POA plus cis-vaccenic acid (18:1 n-7), as composition-based indicators of omega-7 nutritional quality.
Methods:
Fish oil ethyl ester (FOEE) concentrates were analyzed directly, and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) samples prepared from high-palmitoleic algal oil, seabuckthorn oils (SBO) and powder (SBOP), macadamia oils (MO), and avocado oils (AO) were analyzed by GC-FID.
Results:
Marked variation was observed among products. The algal oil showed the highest POA (67.3%) and total omega-7 (70.3%). The FOEE concentrates also contained high POA (54.8-57.0%), with total omega-7 only slightly higher than POA because 18:1 n-7 was very low. MO provided moderate and consistent omega-7 levels (21.5-23.0% POA; 24.8-27.0% total omega-7), whereas AO were lower (5.6-10.0% POA; 8.9-15.9% total omega-7). SBO supplements showed the greatest variability, ranging from omega-7-rich oils (25.5-35.5% POA; 32.1-46.8% total omega-7) to supplements with low or trace omega-7 (0.2-8.3% POA; 0.2-11.1% total omega-7), reflecting differences in berry/pulp, seed oil, and blended formulations.
Discussion:
These results demonstrate that commercial omega-7 products are not compositionally equivalent. Based on POA and total omega-7 content, algal oil showed the highest omega-7 enrichment among triglyceride-based products, FOEE concentrates were also highly enriched in a structurally distinct ethyl ester form, MO offered intermediate and consistent omega-7 levels, and SBO products exhibited substantial variability in omega-7 composition.
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